Beijing’s Forbidden City: The Secret Revealed

The Forbidden City is of course synonymous with the Imperial Palace that was the home to the Emperors of China from its construction in 1420 to the eventual departure of the last in 1924 but there are numerous other sights to see within this once exclusive complex.

The main entrance to the complex is the iconic Tian’anmen Gate which dominates Tian’anmen Square with a massive picture of Chairman Mao and is open to the public for magnificent views across the square. A second gate called Duan Gate rises up beyond this housing a dusty collection of Imperial artifacts and modern artworks scattered amidst a profusion of overpriced souvenir stalls and sporting very restricted views over the rear of the former gate this hardly warrants the ¥10 admission or even a journal entry.

In accordance with the ancient text of Zhouli, which lays down the protocols of the Zhou (1100-221 BCE) dynasty and states ancestors on the left, the god of land on the right, the palace was flanked by twin temples of Tai Miao (Imperial Ancestral Temple) to the east and Shejitan (Altar of Land and Grain) to the west. These are now opened to the public as the Workers Cultural Palace and Zhongshan Park respectively providing some much needed rest and recreation in this busy complex.

Finally you come to the imposing Meridian Gate which marks the entrance to the labyrinth of magnificent buildings that make up the former palace and house its extensive collections of ceramics, jade, bronze ware, paintings and clocks now opened to the public as the unmissable Palace Museum.

Quick Tips:

There are a few places to sleep, eat and drink inside the complex but these tend to be overpriced due to its imperial location so it is probably best to base yourself in either the backpacker ghetto of Xuanwu District to the southwest or the high-class tourist area of Dongcheng District to the east and bring everything you need for the day with you.

Best Way To Get Around:

The Forbidden City has been at the very heart of Beijing since its foundation and is well served by buses, taxis and pedicabs. It is also served by two metro stations Tian’anmen Xi and Tian’anmen Dong on Metro Line 1 at southwest and southeast corners of the complex respectively.

The massive Beijing Xi railway station is a few stops on Metro Line 1 to the west. While the city’s main railway station Beijing Zahn can be reached by changin to Metro Line 2 to the east and this is also the terminus for the shuttle bus to Beijing International Airport.

At the heart of the Forbidden City sits the magnificent Imperial Palace once the secluded home of Emperors now opened to the public as China’s most visited tourist attraction.

Construction of the massive complex began in 1406 when the Emperor Yongle (1360-1424) of the Ming (1368-1644) dynasty established Beijing as the secondary capital after Nanjing. Over 200,000 craftsmen and labourers spent 16 years working on the project using materials from all over the country. Even before it was complete the Emperor took up residence making Beijing the defacto Imperial capital. The successive Qing (1614-1911) dynasty also established their residence here with the last Emperor Puyi (1906-67) staying on past the establishment of the republic until finally vacating in 1924.

The post-revolutionary years were a tumultuous time for the palace with eunuchs secretly spiriting away many of the treasures during the final years of Puyi’s occupancy. After his expulsion by the warlord Feng Yuxiang (1882-1948) the remaining collections were catalogued and opened to the public. Under the Koumintang government these relics were moved to safety during the Japanese Occupation (1937-45) and finally spirited away in 1947 to the National Palace Mueseum in Taipei. Premier Zhou Enlai (1898-1976) protected the palace following the Communist Revolution of 1949 by sending in the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and having all the gates sealed up from 1966-71 to protect against the rampaging Red Guard.

The 720km2 complex now contains 800 buildings with a total of 8,886 rooms most of which have been restored to its former glory and opened to the public as the Palace Museum (daily 8:30am-4pm, ¥60). The Outer Court is dominated by the magnificent Hall of Supreme Harmony housing the Imperial Throne Room for receiving visiting delegations and contains numerous other ceremonial structures. The Inner Court contains the luxurious living quarters of the Emperor, Empress and Imperial Concubines and the gorgeous gardens. The attendant buildings house the museums exquisite collections of ceramics, jade, bronze ware, paintings and clocks.

The sheer size of the complex is overwhelming; impressive and imposing in the monumental halls of the Outer Court and a confusing labyrinth of courtyard buildings and covered walkways in the Inner Court. The surviving artifacts despite being only a fraction of what was once here still manage to impress leaving one to wonder what must have been. Facilities are limited to a few overpriced souvenir stands and concessions so bring snacks and drinks with you. Despite the size of the complex it still somehow quickly manages to fill with crowds of massed tour groups to remind you this is the most visited attraction in the world’s most populous nation.

The museum is the quintessence of Imperial China making it an absolute must see (despite its hefty price tag and heaving crowds) for anyone visiting the ancient capitol.

The great main gate to the Forbidden City appears on the national emblem of the People’s Republic of China and is recognised across the world.

The original gate was constructed in 1420 by Emperor Yongle (1360-1424)of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) as a replica paifang to that in Nanjing but, after burning down following a lightning strike in 1457, it was replaced by a more substantial design in 1465. Burnt down again by rebels at the close of the dynasty in 1644 it was rebuilt in 1645 by the victorious Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) who later gave it its current name, often misleadingly translated as Gate of Heavenly Peace but more correctly as Gate for Receiving the Mandate of Heaven. It was from here on October 1st 1949 that Chairman Mao issued the proclamation of the People's Republic to the people gathered in Tian’anmen Square below. The gate was covered up on the orders of Premiere Zhou Enlai for alleged renovation in 1969 only to be secretly reconstructed for it’s unveiling in 1970.

The imposing 32m high building is fronted with a still flowing moat and guarded by four lions with great gashes in them supposedly inflicted by Qing Prince Li Zicheng during his siege of 1644 when they offered protection to a Ming general. The flanking huabiao columns were originally intended for commoner to post grievances on and the mythical hou creatures that sit atop them are dubbed the Callers of the Emperor after a legend that they called the supreme ruler from his slumbers during a time of great national suffering. The eaves are decorated with nine beasts showing this to be a building of the highest imperial rank. The latest addition is of course the giant image of Mao once the last in a series including Marx, Lenin and Stalin that was dubbed the history of shaving, today these have been replaced by the slogans Long Live the People's Republic of China and Long Live the Unity of the People of the World.

Tian’anmen (daily 8:30am-4:30pm, ¥15) can be accessed, after purchasing your ticket and dropping off your bag at the luggage check, for the magnificent views across the square that have been enjoyed by the Party hierarchy annually since Mao’s proclamation for the mass rallies of National Day. Inside is a Chinese only display on the gate's history, minus the bloody bits but including numerous photos of the various Chairmen enjoying the celebrations afterwards. The highlight of the display is a scale model of all that was swept away in the construction of the great square and the curious little booths the leadership relax in during their visits although the biggest crowds tend to gather around the balcony for photographs of themselves in Mao’s place.

The gate is truly iconic and the views that it offers across the square as well as the rare chance to put yourself in Mao’s shoes make it well worth a visit.

On the western flank of the Forbidden City hides this quiet and forgotten little park where you can escape the chaos of the Imperial Palace for a little restful peace.

The ancient Shejitan (Altar of Land and Grain) was constructed in 1420 for the personal use of Emperor Yongle (1360-1424) of the Ming (1368-1644) dynasty. Through to the end of the Qing (1644-1911) dynasty the Emperor would conduct biennial offerings here in spring to ensure good harvest and in autumn for thanksgiving. Following the revolution the park was opened to the public as Zhong Gongyuan (Central Park). In 1925 the mortal remains of the revolution’s leader Dr. Sun Yat-Sen (1866-1925) rested here and the park was later renamed Zhongshan in his honor.

The 230km2 Zhongshan Park (daily 6am-9pm, ¥3) is dotted with ancient cypress trees dating back to the Liao (907-1125) and Jin (1115-1234) dynasties when this was the site of Xingguo Si (Temple of National Revival). The first structure you see as you enter is the Peace-Defending Archway which was built in 1901 to honor the murdered German envoy Kolind under the terms of a humiliating Boxer Protocol with the Eight Nation Alliance that put down the Boxer Rebellion (1899-1901) only to be later renamed and moved here. Beyond stands and inspiring statue of Zhongshan himself guarding the ornate entrance to the ancient temple.

The temple was built to honor the geologist She and the agronomist Ji who taught the ancients the secret of agriculture and are worshiped as the God of Land and God of Grain respectively. The three-tier marble altar was covered in 5 different coloured soils;

• black to the north for Zhuan Xu (God of Water),
• blue to the east for Tai Huo (God of Wood),
• red to the south for Yan Di (God of Fire),
• white to the north for Shao Hao (God of Gold),
• and the yellow pyramid in the center for Huang Di (Yellow Emperor) symbolizing imperial supremacy,

making for an altogether psychadelic sight. The wooden central Baidian (Hall of Worship) is now the Zhongshan Hall (daily 6am-9pm,¥2) housing a small exhibition on the life of Zhongshan with informative English captions and a handful of personal artifacts to elucidate on the great marble statue at it’s center.

The grounds beyond the temple contain the usual array of pavilions, covered walkways, rockeries elegantly blended into a traditional formal Chinese garden. More modern amusements can also be found such as the Merry Land indoor playground (featuring the usual slides, ball pools and hall of mirrors), New York themed bumper cars and paddleboats for circumnavigating the moat. Thus there is something to do for all the family in this quiet little bolthole.

Escape the crowds and learn a little about a revolutionary icon of Chinese history in this pleasant little park.

On the eastern flank of the Forbidden City hides this forgotten temple that feels like a small-scale replica of the great Imperial Palace but minus the crowds.

The ancient Tai Miao (Imperial Ancestral Temple) was constructed in 1421 for the personal use of Emperor Yongle (1360-1424) of the Ming (1368-1644) dynasty. The temple was in regular use through to the eventual departure of Puyi (1906-67), the last Emperor of the Qing (1644-1912) dynasty, in 1924. The temple was open to the public as Heping Park in 1926 and received its current name at the behest of Premier Zhou Enlai (1898-1976) on International Labour Day 1951.

The main gate to the 140km2 Workers Cultural Palace (daily 6am-9pm, ¥2) was added during the post revolutionary reconstructions and was later labeled in the handwriting of the Great Helmsman himself. Upon entering you find yourself in a magical ancient cypress grove with a beautiful Glazed Archway rising up from within. Behind this the three magnificent main halls are laid out along the central axis.

Entrance to the first courtyard is through the magnificently preserved yellow-tiled Halberd Gate so called after the adorning red and silver halberd that were sadly looted by the Eight-Nation Alliance during the repression of the Boxer Rebellion (1899-1901). Here you will find the 32.5m high wooden Hall for Worship of Ancestors where ritual sacrifices would be conducted here by the Emperor to his ancestors upon such occasion as his coronation or following victorious battles.

Beyond lay two lesser halls the Hall for Worship of Imperial Ancestral Tablets and the Hall for Worship of Remote Imperial Ancestral Tablets. The former is where the tablets honoring the preceding emperors would be placed while the latter contained the tablets honoring more distant ancestors of the Xia (2200-1700 BCE), Shang (1700-1100 BCE) and Zhou (1100-221 BCE) dynasties. These would be moved to the main hall for major ceremonies or kept in place for the more minor ceremonies conducted by courtiers.

The buildings are now occasionally put to use for modern cultural activities in accordance with Premiere Zhou’s inception and at the time of my visit the main hall contained a display of Chinese harmonious bells while a local choral society was practicing in the rear hall so it’s always worth looking in just to find out what is going on. The temple is perfectly preserved thanks to its almost continuous use up until the present day and continues to ooze imperial magnificence just as they must have done for centuries and yet the complex is almost totally deserted.

Considered by many to be China’s foremost temple this magnificent but forgotten complex gives a good idea of what the palace itself must look like behind the mass of crowds that obscure it.